NEWS: Plea in SC seeking Contempt Proceedings against Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai

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A petition has been filed in SC seeking contempt proceeding against journalist Rajdeep Sardesai over his tweets criticizing the SC’s verdict on Prashant Bhushan’s case and other tweets over judiciary. 

Petitioner calls him a “habitual contemnor.”

The petitioner has also written to Attorney General KK Venugopal for his consent to initiate contempt proceedings against journalist as per the Supreme Court Rules.

The petitioner sought to initiate contempt proceedings under Section 2(1) (c) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 for Sardesai’s “wilful disobedience of the Court orders and judgments”.

The petitioner mentions various tweets of Rajdeep Sardesai are:

Firstly, his tweet of 14th August 2020, where Sardesai compared the Bhushan’s verdict to the pending habeas corpus petitions filed by those who were detained in Kashmir.

Secondly, his tweet of 31st August 2020, where Sardesai criticizes the one rupee sentence imposed by the Supreme Court on Prashant Bhushan for contempt.

Thirdly, his tweet of 31st August 2020, where Sardesai sought to point out how the Supreme Court cannot debar a lawyer from practicing.

In some of his tweets, he remarked retired Justice Arun Mishra, with reference to the Rajasthan political crisis that “Judge Arun Mishra who recently described PM Modi as a versatile genius is presiding.”

Also, Sardesai questioned the meeting of then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi with the DGP of Uttar Pradesh, i.e. the day before pronouncing of the Ayodhya verdict.

The petition contends that all his tweets put out a feeling of “no confidence” in the minds of people about the Court and “scandalizes the court.“